


Things Unsaid

by fluffywonder



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, Fluff, Gen, Kind of a fix-it, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), these two are my fave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 07:39:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18734584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffywonder/pseuds/fluffywonder
Summary: Tony and Natasha talk in the aftermath of reversing the snap and saving the world.—ENDGAME SPOILERS. Literally, it’s all spoiler.





	Things Unsaid

_ “We did good.” _

 

_ “Yeah.” _

 

Below them, the wind blows through a field of wheatgrass.

 

——

 

“If you could do it differently, would you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Me neither. As terrible as parts of it were— “

 

There’s no need to say any more. They both understand.

 

——

 

“Ever feel like we were always destined for this? Pawns playing our part so that others could become great?”

 

“If that’s true, we’re the greatest pawns that ever were.”

 

——

 

“There’ll always be another Thanos. Another dictator, another who thinks he’s God enough to rule the world, under the delusion that they’re doing the right thing.”

 

“It’s Mankind’s greatest flaw— we have incredibly short memories. And it doesn’t necessarily take a God to wreak that kind of destruction.”

 

_Shield, arrow, armor._

 

“I know.”

 

——

 

“You always scared me, you know. In a world so sick, you were possibility, and hope, and chaos, and the darkest of promises. You were always the best and worst of all of us. The best and worst parts of humanity. Everyone knew— you could be  _anything._ Anyone. That scared me.”

 

“You always scared me, but then you knew that.”

 

A pause.

 

“You couldn’t have told me that while alive?”

 

“Too many years of staying silent about the things that really matter, I suppose.”

 

——

 

“Where are we, anyway?”

 

“After.”

 

“ _After_ ... after all the madness?”

 

“Yup.”

 

——

 

“They’ll hail us as heroes.”

 

It goes unsaid:  _Are we?_

 

“I wonder if we’re the weakest of them, or the strongest.”

 

“Probably both.”

 

“If weakness means going home, staying with them, maybe I’d rather be the weakest of them all.”

 

“No you wouldn’t.”

 

A long silence.

 

“No, I wouldn’t.”

 

——

 

“I’m glad it happened the way it did.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“On my terms. Mine and no one else’s. I used to think I’d be taken out, either by friend or foe, but...”

 

“But in a life that hasn’t given you very many, this was your choice. And you made it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

——

 

“Maybe I finally paid off my debt to him.”

 

“You sacrificed yourself so he would get his happy ending. I’d say you’ve more than paid off whatever you owed him.”

 

“Or maybe we just love them enough.”

 

There is a long, narrow look. 

 

“Thought you said love is for children.”

 

A smirk, a smile. “Are you that surprised to learn that maybe I lied?”

 

There’s a beat.

 

“It’s not a lie if you believe it.”

 

“Maybe I was just lying to myself, then.”

 

——

 

“We were Queens.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“We weren’t  _just_ pawns. We were the most important pieces on the board.”

 

The usual retort never comes, so the question has to be asked.

 

“Nothing to say about my ego?”

 

“I’d say you’ve earned it.”

 

——

 

“We weren’t the Queens.  _They were._   _Are_. That’s why we’re here. And is that why you let them go?” His eyes narrow.

 

“Peter?”

 

“He was  _everything_.  He was everything, and this isn’t -wasn’t- a game of chess.”

 

There’s no response, but he doesn’t expect one.

 

——

 

“I’m sorry about the kid. I’m not sorry for much, but I’m sorry about that. You’re right — he wasn’t acceptable collateral damage. I’m sorry.”

 

——

 

“I thought it would be more final. Not... this.”

 

“You saying you’re sorry to be stuck with me?” It’s almost playful.

 

“I’m saying...” A sharp exhale.

 

“Call me selfish, but I’m saying we deserve more.”

 

——

 

“Maybe we do. Deserve more, that is.”

 

He looks sideways at her, and she blows out a breath.

 

“I’m not used to wanting things for myself.”

 

——

 

“Do you think peace exists?”

 

“Do you want it to?”

 

“For Morgan? Absolutely. For us? I’m not sure we’ve earned  _that_. ”

 

“You have.”

 

It’s quiet for a minute.

 

“Maybe... so have you.”

 

——

 

“There was red in my ledger.”

 

“Mine too. And you said  _was_.  You’ve more than made up for it. You held us together when no one else could.”

 

A whisper.

 

“For saving him? For letting him live? I owe you.”

 

“You saved him first. And I’m not cashing in on my debts anytime soon.”

 

——

 

“Hey Nat?”

 

“Hm.”

 

“I’m glad you’re here with me, Romanova. Here, at the end of all things.”

 

A huff of barely-there laughter.

 

——

 

“Tony.”

 

“Mm?”

 

“I’m sorry it’s you. But of all people, I’m glad it’s you too.”

 

——

 

_I’m glad it’s you._

**Author's Note:**

> I appreciate feedback. Thank you!


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